Polemic between
Fr. Ladis J. Cizik and Dr. Marian T. Horvat on the handing over of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan to the Russian Schismatic Church

Brief Chronicle of Events

December 2000: The monthly magazine Inside the Vatican featured an article on Our Lady of Kazan, entitled The Icon of Our Lady of Kazan by Marguerite Peeters. This icon is a miraculous Russian image that had been in the custody of the Blue Army since the ‘50s, when it received a good counsel to purchase the historical Icon and act as its custodian until, with Russia’s conversion as predicted at Fatima, it could be returned.

The Icon of Our Lady of Kazan

However, the Blue Army, acting this time on an unfortunate counsel, delivered the Icon to Pope John Paul II in the ‘90s so that he might return it to Russia – as a token of Russia’s “spiritual resurrection.” Peeters’ lead article reported that the imminent return of the icon to Russia is presently under discussion and would be a prophetic sign “that can be interpreted in the light of the message of Fatima.” That is to say, Russia’s conversion should not be considered in the “narrow Catholic interpretation” as conversion from Orthodoxy to Roman Catholicism. “Conversion,” according to the new version apparently supported by the Blue Army, seems to mean that Russia could remain in the errors of the Russian Schismatic church. Even now, according to the article, Russia would be experiencing a new springtime of graces, and the Fatima message would be fulfilled.

January 31, 2001: The Remnant published the article entitled Handing Over the Symbolic Icon of Our Lady of Kazan: A confirmation of a great crisis in the Church, by Dr. Marian T. Horvat. The writer refuted the above-mentioned interpretation of the conversion of Russia. She also questioned whether it would be opportune to return the symbolic Icon of Our Lady of Kazan at this time. She considered that the handing over of the Icon in reality reflects a crisis in the Holy Church that involves a radical change in moral and dogmatic principles.

February 28, 2001: The Remnant under the heading Soul Editor Contends The Remnant Slandered Blue Army published a letter by Fr. Ladis J. Cizik. In that letter Fr. Cizik, the executive Director of The Blue Army and editor of Soul magazine, strongly objected to Dr. Horvat’s article and accused her of slandering the Blue Army.

February 28, 2001: In the same issueThe Remnantpublishedthe response under the title Dr. Horvat Explains. The writer observed to Fr. Cizik that he had offered no refutation of the facts she presented as the major premise of her article: that Russia had not converted and therefore it was shameful to return the Icon to the Schismatic Church. Therefore, there was no intention of slander of her part, but only the aim of presenting the truth. She invited him to engage in a public polemic on the topic.

To date there has been no response of Fr. Cizik to that invitation of Dr. Horvat.

February 2001: the monthly newspaper Catholic Family News published the article entitled The Myth of a Converted Russia Exposed by Dr. Marian Horvat. She continued the discussion of the subject with other arguments. She pointed out that a missionary in Russia, Fr. Daniel Maurer, in an interview with Catholic World Report (February 2001), provided evidence of a bleak picture of the religious reality in post-Communist Russia. According to his report, far from a new springtime of faith in present day Russia, the country is suffering in a moral and spiritual quagmire. Fr. Maurer also spoke of a new and shocking definition of conversion, which is no longer the primary aim of the missionaries. He gave evidence that the Vatican seems to be promoting a new kind of missionary work in Russia, in which conversion to the Catholic Faith is no longer the primary aim, and is even discouraged in order to promote the agenda of post-Vatican II ecumenism.

July 2003: according to rumors, John Paul II was planning a stopover trip to Russia in August on his way home from Mongolia to give the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan to Russian "Orthodox" patriarch Alexis II. In the article Will John Paul II Return the Icon of Kazan to an Unconverted Russia published in the July issue of Catholic Family News, Dr. Horvat criticizes that possibility, which deceitfully implies that Russia has converted in fulfillment of the Fatima promises. She also points out the constant insults of Alexis II to the Vatican in its attempts to arrange a visit for John Paul II and engage in dialogue.

August 2004: The Vatican reports it will send a commission on August 28 to deliver the Icon of Kazan to the Russian Schismatic Church with the hope that the gesture will improve the dialogue. In a column titled Kazan, The End of the Story, Atila Sinke Guimarães expresses indignance over the unconditional offer to deliver the Sacred Icon and the Schismatic arrogance toward Rome.

October 2004: In an article "A Triple Betrayal of the Catholic Church,"in the Catholic Family News, Dr. Horvat reports on the handing over ceremony that took place in the Kremlim Assumption Cathedral on September 28. A Vatican commission headed by Cardinal Walter Kasper delivered the icon to Alexis II, who responded with a cold thanks veiled with insults and demands. Dr. Horvat pointed out the three betrayals the return signifies:a betrayal of the Church militant and missionary character; a betrayal of the Fatima message; and a betrayal of the very honor and reputation of the Church.